Putting Together the Shards
by cindyls1969
Summary: Harry Potter is working as a nurse after the war, having grown tired of fighting. On his way home from work he finds a broken Draco Malfoy and takes him in. He spends him time helping Draco heal and trying to find out what happened to him in the three years after the war. As he get to know him again, he finds himself attracted to the man Draco's become. Can it all work out?
1. Chapter 1

The snow fell heavily as Harry stepped out the front door of St. Mungo's. It was cold and he couldn't wait to get home and curl up in front of his fire with a glass of fire whiskey. It had been a long day.

He needed to stop and grab something for his supper, so once he was past the wards of the hospital, he apparated to the alley behind the Leaky Cauldron. He pushed through the hidden gate into the courtyard of the old pub and was surprised to find other people there.

There was a group of five boys, the oldest being about eleven, throwing rocks at what looked like a large bundle of rags that had been shoved against the wall. He walked past them and would have continued into the pub if he hadn't heard a whimper.

Whipping his head around, he heard it again and realized it was coming from the bundle.

"Hey there, you lot. Get away from there." He thought they must have an animal trapped in the material and went over to free it.

"We're not doin nothing wrong, mister. It's not like it's anything important." The oldest boy sneered up at him until Harry unintentionally pushed his bangs back to get them out of his eyes. When the boys saw the scar, recognition dawned and they all backed away.

"Sorry Mr. Potter. We didn't mean to bother you none." The biggest child kicked the bundle before walking away and it gave a pitiful whimper of pain. "It's not like he doesn't deserve it. That's what my dad says anyhow."

Harry was aghast. "That's a person?" He rushed over and stood in front of the tangle of cloth. "What in Merlin's name is wrong with you? No one deserves to be treated like this?"

The biggest boy sneered again. "Bet you won't be saying that when you see who it is." He turned to his friends, motioning for them to follow him, but Harry stopped them with a quick freezing charm.

"I want your names. I'll be sending an owl to all your parents about this." They all shook their heads and he gave a flick of his wrist, turning them upside down for a few seconds before righting them. "Names, now. And no lying. I'll know if you are."

They all started speaking at once and when he had the names straight, he unfroze them and let them go. Turning back to the person cowering behind him, he started to speak.

"Okay now. They're gone. Come on, let's see who you are." He reached for the hood that he could now plainly make out but stopped when the person shuddered and cried out before speaking.

"No…don't. Please. Need to go home…my mother…needs me." The voice was low and raspy and obviously male and the words trailed off into a cough that seemed to almost shake the poor man apart.

Harry crouched down, trying to seem less intimidating and spoke as calmly as he could. "It's okay, I won't hurt you, I promise. I just want to help you."

He reached his hand out once more, carefully but determine to see the man's face. He whimpered and shivered, but made no move to stop Harry.

He grimaced in disgust at the greasy, crusty feeling of the fabric as he slowly pulled the hood back.

Harry had been nurse at St. Mungo's for three years. After the war, he decided that he wanted to help people, not hunt them down, so he for once took advantage of the fact that everyone seemed determine to repay him for saving them and asked for a job at the hospital.

They started him with the same jobs every nurse started with, at his request. He'd done the lowest jobs that no one else wanted to do and did them happily. All he wanted was to be of some use.

When they discovered that he had an aptitude for dealing with mental patients, they put him on the same ward as Neville Longbottom's parents. There he'd figured out that his quiet deportment and great stores of patience made him a good candidate for settling in the newly admitted.

He'd bathed more filthy people than most wizards or witches could even imagine but he'd never seen anyone as filthy as the young man cowering before him.

Guessing the color of his hair was impossible, and Harry shuddered when he realized that he could see that it was crawling with lice. It wasn't a pest that was common in the Wizarding community so he guessed that the person had been in the muggle world for some time.

He was obviously a wizard, though or he wouldn't have known about the entrance to Diagon Alley that was out behind the Leaky.

Casting a repelling charm against the lice, he spoke to the man again. "Who are you? You said you needed to get to your mother. If you tell me who she is, I might be able to help you find her?"

A voice answered from behind him, startling him and causing the other man to curl even further into himself. "You'd best just leave that wretch alone, Harry."

It was Tom, the owner of the pub. He was standing on the back step, looking down at Harry, shaking his head. "He can't go to his mother. He's been banished from the Wizarding world and can't go back."

He took out a pouch and filled the pipe he had clenched between his teeth. He lit it before speaking again. "Wouldn't do no good anyhow. His mother's been dead for two years already."

Harry's head whipped around as the man behind him keened, making a horrible sound before turning to face Harry and he'd never seen grief so devastating as what he saw in those gray eyes, even in the Weasley's when Fred lay dead in front of them.

"Malfoy…"

They stared at each other as Tom started to speak. "Aye. And I'm sorry to be the one to tell you Draco lad, but I didn't want you getting killed in my yard trying to get where you're not supposed to be."

"Doesn't matter." Draco pushed himself up as best he could and shuffled toward the gate.

Harry reached out and grabbed his arm just as Tom let out a shout. "Oi, stop that now. I don't want the Auror's bangin on my door because you've decided to off yourself!"

The wrist in Harry's hand was decidedly too thin and felt as fragile as glass. "Malfoy…" He stopped and lowered his voice back to the calm it was before. "Draco, come with me. I'll take you to the hospital."

Draco shook his head and feebly tried to pull out of Harry's grasp. "No…no hospital…hurt…oh god…they hurt…"

Harry stroked Draco's arm. "Shhh, it's okay. I won't take you there. Come to my house instead. Let me help you."

Tom sighed behind him. "I told you Harry. If he tried to go anywhere within the Wizarding wards, he'll die. It's come straight from the top of the ministry."

Harry couldn't imagine his friend, Kingsley Shacklebolt ordering this kind of punishment on anyone, and started to protest.

"I know what you're thinking…it wasn't him. It was the idiots who were in charge before he took over." He took another drag off his pipe before continuing. "I think he might be able fix it though."

Harry closed his eyes and brought up a good memory with difficulty and cast his patronus. "Kingsley, I'm taking Draco Malfoy to my house. We're going by side-along apparition and I want the ban on him entering the wizard world gone in the next few minutes. He's under my care and protection so keep everyone else away, or they'll be sorry."

He sent it off before looking back at Draco. He smiled at him, trying to appear as friendly as possible. He wasn't sure how much of the old Draco Malfoy remained and he didn't want their past to get in the way of helping the other man.

"What do you say, Draco. Come with me? I live at Gimmuald Place. It's an old Black estate, isn't it?" Draco's eyes held so much fear and sadness and Harry could feel it pulling at his heart. "You offered your hand to me in friendship once before. I was always sorry I didn't find a way to take it. Maybe you can be braver now than I was then?"

Tears were falling down Draco's face, leaving slightly cleaner lines where the grime was washed away. He seemed so young, and Harry wanted to know what had happened to him in the last three years.

He reached up and used the sleeve of his shirt to wipe the tears from Draco's face and smiled gently at the confusion on the other man's face.

"I don't know what happened to you, Draco. They told me there would be no trial for you after I testified for your mother. I'm sorry I didn't realize what that meant. Please let me help you now like I should have then?" He reached down and carefully took Draco's hand in his and waited.

The tears never stopped rolling down the other man's face but Harry could see he was considering his words.

When Kingsley's patronus appeared in front of him, he cursed as Draco startled back from him.

"It's done, Harry. Explain it to me when you can." When it had delivered its message, it disappeared, leaving the men alone in the courtyard.

Harry turned to Tom. "If you wouldn't mind leaving us alone? I'll take care of things from here." He made it sound like a request but his tone said it wasn't and Tom nodded and disappeared through the door.

"Scared…" Harry returned his gaze to Draco, that one word confession breaking his heart more than he ever thought possible.

"I know…and I'm sorry. Please, Draco. Come with me?" He was taking Draco with him whether he consented or not. Leaving him here just wasn't an option for Harry, but he preferred not to drag him away, kicking and screaming.

Draco stared at him for a moment and then his eyes slipped shut. He turned his face up toward the sky, almost like he was praying before nodding. "Yes…okay…go with Potter."

Harry breathed a sigh of relief then grinned. "I'd rather be Harry…if that's okay?"

Draco nodded jerkily again. "Yes. Harry…okay."

"Okay." Harry patted his hand and stood up. "Can you stand up for me? I'd like to get an arm around you to apparate."

Draco shook his head frantically. "No. Dirty…bugs…Harry no."

Harry smiled at him sadly. "It's okay Draco, I promise. I've done a charm to keep the bugs off and I'll take us directly to my bathroom. We'll have you cleaned up in no time. A little dirt doesn't bother me."

Draco looked at him, obviously assessing whether or not he was telling the truth. When he'd made up his mind, he started struggling to his feet but he couldn't seem to stand up straight.

More tears welled up in his eyes as he looked up at Harry from under his lashes. "Can't. Hurts."

Harry was devastated by Draco's physical condition. He was in a lot of pain and seemed unable to put together a complete sentence. Harry wasn't sure if it was a physical issue or a mental one but it was something that would have to be explored.

"Will you let me help you?" He waited for Draco's tentative nod and then cast a charm, banishing the lice and any other pests invading Draco's body.

Once that was done, Harry approached him and slid one arm behind his shoulders and then the other behind his knees, picking him up carefully. He had a feeling that any jarring would cause the other man a lot of pain and Harry wanted to avoid that.

Draco was taller than Harry by almost a head, but he felt so light in Harry's arms that carrying him was too easy. Draco looped one arm around Harry's neck as his head fell bonelessly against Harry's shoulder.

"I'm going to apparated us now, alright? Don't be afraid, I won't drop you." He made sure that Draco secure in his arms and then apparated them to his house.

True to his word, they were in the bathroom off Harry's bedroom and it had never looked so good. Harry had spent a lot of time fixing up the old place and the bathroom had been completely renovated.

There was a huge shower with a waterfall shower head in one corner and beside it was a large jetted tub. There was a chair in the corner and Harry summoned it and then transfigured it into a chair with arms, so that he had somewhere to set Draco that he couldn't fall from.

"I'm going to set you here and then get a bath ready for you, if that's okay? I'm afraid of you slipping in the shower until you get a little stronger." Once again he waited for a small nod from Draco before setting him on the chair. The long arm around his neck tightened for a moment before finally letting go.

Harry set to work getting the tub ready, making the water warm but not too hot. Going from one extreme to the other would be too hard on Draco's already damaged system.

"I need to tell you something Draco, because I want you to know I'm being honest with you. And I don't want you to be afraid because I already promised I wouldn't."

Draco's head lifted slightly, those gray eyes seeming to look into Harry's soul.

"I'm assuming you don't know what I'm doing to keep myself busy these days?" He took a deep breath before continuing. "I'm a nurse. I work at St. Mungo's."

Draco's eyes widened and the fear that had been slowly receding came roaring back. He slid off the chair and skittered across the floor to cower against the wall.

Harry sighed and kept talking. "Was it St. Mungo's where you were hurt?" He looked at Draco and got a short head shake. "Well that's good to hear. I'd hate to think of any of the people I work with participating in something so horrible."

When the tub was full, he turned off the water and sat on the floor, leaning back against the side. "I don't know where it was that you were hurt and I wish I could change it but I can't. All I can do is promise that I won't do anything to hurt you. I'll make an unbreakable vow if you want."

Draco studied him before shaking his head once again.

"It's just…I'm going to have to help you get in and out of the tub and I'm betting that getting undressed is going to be hard for you to do alone." Harry let his head fall back until he was looking at the ceiling. "I don't want you to be scared of me. I have enough people who are terrified every fucking time I walk in the door somewhere. I hate it more than just about anything and I don't want to see it in you."

He closed his eyes, trying to get control of his emotions. He became aware of a soft shuffling noise and then a soft touch on his ankle. He lifted his head and looked down to see Draco crouched by his feet, looking up at him.

"Help?" Draco was still scared. Harry could see it in every action, but he was almost positive that he was no longer really scared of Harry and it made the ball of anxiety that had taken up residence in his chest unclench a little.

Harry smiled and nodded. "Yeah, help." He looked at Draco, trying to decide the best way to go about things. "Can we get you sitting on the chair again? Probably the easiest way to get you undressed."

Draco looked over at the chair and sighed before nodding. He was unable to straighten up and Harry hoped that whatever damage was causing it, it wasn't something permanent.

He almost crawled to the chair and sat down gently and Harry didn't want to think about what could be causing him pain as he sat.

Walking over to the chair, he crouched down in front of Draco. "Can you take off your robe?" Draco nodded and unbuttoned the few buttons that remained attached to the fabric, and then pushed it off his shoulders. He had a muggle hoodie on under it and he tried to pull it off over his head, but the pain was obviously too much.

"I'm gonna help you now." With Draco's head stuck in the sweater, he didn't want him startled when he touched him. Harry grabbed the hem and pulled up, being careful not to jar Draco unnecessarily.

There was only a baggy muscle shirt underneath that probably had been white at one point but was now the same dingy, grimy non-color as the rest of his clothing. It left his long arms and most of his chest and neck exposed and Harry got his first horrifying look at Draco's wounds.

"Oh—" He clasped his hand over his mouth, desperately trying to stop the shout of anger that coursed through him at the inhumane treatment that Draco had received.

There were metal shackles around his wrists and they must have been tight at one point. They had rubbed the skin under them raw and left oozing sores all around them. Sickened, Harry whispered a quiet "Alohomora" and unlocked both cuffs, catching them before they could clatter to the floor.

They were muggle and would have been easy for Draco to get out of if he would have had his magic. Draco whimpered and Harry rubbed his hand up and down his arm, trying to not make contact with anything that might be sore. It didn't leave a lot of skin to touch.

There was a metal collar around Draco's neck and parts of it seemed to be embedded in Draco's skin. Harry stifled a sob and looked up. "I'm going to take this off in the bath. I'm hoping the water will help it pull away with less pain."

Draco nodded and then reached one hand up to brush away tears that Harry hadn't even realized were falling. "Okay Harry?" His brow was wrinkled in confusion, like he really didn't know why Harry was so upset.

Dropping his head, he took a deep breath and tried to get a hold of himself. "I'm okay Draco. Just sad."

Draco frowned. "Sorry Harry. I…I make you sad…" he trailed off and looked down at his hands that were sitting in his lap. Harry shook his head and reached out the lay his hands over Draco's.

"No. What's happened to you makes me sad. But not you. I think I'm very glad to have found you again." Draco looked up at him and smiled shyly at him. Harry had never seen Draco smile that way before. They had all been smiles that were full of malice and anger. This one was beautiful and it took Harry's breath away.

Harry smiled back and finally was able to stop the tears. "Right then…let's get you undressed and into the tub before it gets cold, okay?"

He reached for the hem of Draco's muscle shirt and pulled it off one arm and then the other before easing it over his head. He tossed it in the corner and when he saw the condition of the rest of Draco's torso, he found himself wishing that there was a curse that would let him inflict the damage done to Draco on his torturers.

He was a mass of bruises and welts and there were marks all over him that suggested that he'd been whipped. There were open wounds in various stages of healing and some that had been infected for some time. Harry had seen many of these wounds before, but never all on one person.

"Oh Draco…I'm so sorry this happened." He looked up into those gray eyes, like maybe he could figure out their secrets if he just tried hard enough. "Who did this to you?"

He felt so guilty for not keeping better tabs on Draco and making sure he was okay. He'd spent so long being obsessed with the man and had tried to leave him in peace. Apparently he'd picked the wrong time to stop stalking him.

Draco reached up and touched his fingertips to Harry's face and a new fierceness shone in his eyes. "Not you."


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

Harry looked at him, searching his face for something of the Malfoy he used to know, but these seemed to be nothing left of him except for the vulnerability that Harry had only glimpsed a couple of times while they were at school. He'd seen it the when he'd refused Draco's hand in friendship the first time they'd met; and again a couple of times in sixth year.

The first time was in the bathroom, when he'd found Malfoy crying. He'd figured out a long time ago that Draco had attacked him because he'd been mortified to be found in his moment of weakness. He'd never forget the look in Draco's eyes as he'd collapsed to the tiled floor, bleeding heavily from wounds Harry hadn't known he'd be able to inflict.

The second was when he was hidden in the shadows on the astronomy tower the night that Dumbledore had died. When Harry remembered back to that night now, he could recall how terrified and alone Draco had looked, forced by a madman and his own father to carry out a murder he never wanted to commit. Harry sent a small prayer of thanks up to Snape, happy that he'd prevented Draco from having to carry it out.

What he saw now in Draco's face amazed him. Whatever had happened to him had stripped him of all his false fronts and left only honesty and strength, tempered by the need to be connected to another person.

"No, you're right. I didn't do this to you…but I wish could have stopped it from happening." He leaned into the fingers Draco still rested on his cheek.

Draco gave him a sad smile. "Deserved it. Did bad things."

Harry shook his head and lifted his hand to hold Draco's to his cheek. "No Draco, no one deserves this. You did bad things but you also did good things. You tried to save me at the Manor that day when you didn't say it was me. And you didn't kill Dumbledore, even though your family was in danger and you were terrified."

Reaching up, he pushed Draco's bangs back off his face. "You had a madman living in your house and controlling your parents. You did what you did to survive, right?"

Draco nodded, his fingers caressing Harry's cheek. "Father was wrong about everything. Mother was scared. Loved me…tried to save me." He cried again, thinking about his mother, but his smiled a little too. "She told me 'Harry Potter will save us'. You did."

Harry's laugh was almost hysterical. "Oh yeah, I did a fine job of saving you."

Draco put his hand up in front of Harry's mouth, stopping him from talking. "You did. Save us all; muggle and wizard. Hero."

"No, not a hero. I just wanted to survive and help my friends. And they helped too." They'd saved each other over and over. If it had been just him, they all would have lost.

He took a deep breath and found Draco's eyes again. "I need to finish getting you undressed. Is that okay?" Harry really wanted to get Draco into the water but he didn't want to rush him.

Draco dropped his hand back to his lap and Harry immediately missed the warmth of his touch. "They hurt me Harry." His voice was barely more than a whisper and he motioned to his chest. "Not just this." He shifted in his seat. "They…they used me. Did things."

Harry had suspected as much, but it still felt like his heart was being ripped out when it was confirmed. "I know they did. I'll be careful, okay?"

Leaning forward, he rested his forehead against Harry's shoulder. "Don't want you to see. Horrible."

"Doesn't matter, I promise." He slid his hand around the back of Draco's neck, letting his fingers play with the soft hairs there. "You ready now?"

Draco sighed and pulled back. He reached for the waistband of the pants he was wearing but couldn't push them off and hold his hips off the chair at the same time.

"Can I help you?" Harry didn't want to push Draco any more than he had to.

"I can't…" He trailed off. "So tired."

Harry smiled at him. "I know. Let's get this done and you can get some sleep." He waited until Draco nodded wearily before reaching for the pants. Fortunately, they were just old sweatpants and it would be easy for Harry to get them off.

"Put your arms around my neck and hang on and I'll lift you a little and slide them off." Harry waited until he was sure Draco was hanging on before lifting and pulling the pants carefully down his thighs. Once they were out of the way, he lowered him back to the chair and bent to remove them the rest of the way.

Tossing them in the corner, he turned to survey the rest of the damage to Draco's body. What he saw made him want to sob.

Draco's legs were twig thin and he obviously hadn't been using them to walk in a while. They were covered in scabs and bruises and Harry was desperately hoping that the muscles weren't permanently damaged.

Around Draco's waist was some kind of chastity device. A metal band circled his waist, and like the shackles, it had probably been tighter when it was put on him. Now it was loose but Harry could see where the sharp edges had cut into Draco's skin. A leather strap was attached to the front and ran down between his legs. It was hooked to a small metal cage that enclosed Draco's cock and balls and then ran back between the cheeks of his ass.

"Oh god. Draco…is there anything else?" He was terrified to ask but needed to know what he was dealing with.

Draco tried to turn away, the shame of his situation obviously starting to become unbearable but Harry put his hands on Draco's face and gently held him. "Shhh, it's okay. Gonna take care of you, not hurt you."

Draco's eyes were filled with pain. "Should have let me die."

Harry brushed his fingers through Draco's greasy hair and shook his head. "No, I don't want you to die. I'll make it better…I'll do anything."

Draco leaned in and pressed his face into Harry's neck. "Holds something…something inside."

Harry stared down the long expanse of Draco's back and it didn't take long to see that the leather strap was wider in the back and was locked into place on the back of the metal band.

Taking a great shuddering breath, Harry whispered another spell that had the leather strap breaking away from the band. "I'm going to have to take it out of you. Will you let me?"

Draco shivered and nodded into Harry's neck. "Please…take it."

Harry put one arm around Draco's shoulders and then transfigured the chair into a cot. He eased Draco down onto his side and used another Alohomora to open the locks on the metal band and the cock cage. Draco whimpered but didn't move.

"I'm going to be as careful as I can. I'm so sorry if this hurts you." He hesitated a moment and then reached down to grasp the base of the object. He pulled gently and breathed a sigh of relief that it came out easily. "Okay? I'm going to take the cage now."

Harry eased it away from Draco's body and set it aside. "Let's get you into the water, yeah?"

Draco nodded and Harry decided the easiest way to move him was to carry him to the tub. "Just relax, Dray. I'm going to pick you up."

He lifted Draco, smiling a little when he curled in closer to Harry's chest and laid his head on his shoulder. When he reached the tub, he lowered Draco into the water as carefully as possible.

Once he was settled, Harry pulled back and looked at Draco's face. I'm going to wash you. Don't you worry; I do this all the time at the hospital so I know just how to do it. We'll use this water to do the first rinse and then I think we'll do it again. What do you think?"

Draco smiled up at him. "Yeah. Need to be clean."

Harry picked up the soft cloth he found on the side of the tub and lathered it up with the baby soap he'd found that had been left behind the last time Teddy had come to visit. "Let me know if you need me to stop."

"M'kay." Draco yawned. "Sleepy."

Harry chuckled. "I know. Let's get you clean and then I have a nice, soft bed for you to sleep in."

The next half an hour was spent with Harry rambling quietly about nothing as he washed every bit of Draco's broken body. Once he'd washed his hair and rinsed the soap away, he drained the water and used a quickly muttered "Scourgify" to clean the tub before refilling it with warm water and starting all over.

He finally got the collar off in the second bath and the fact that Draco didn't make a sound as Harry worked it away from his skin let Harry know just how much pain Draco had suffered through in the last few years.

When he was finished, he cast a warming charm over Draco as he drained the water and then lifted him out of the tub and set him back on the transfigured cot to dry him off.

"I want to look at your legs now, okay? I need to see why you can't walk properly." Harry waited for Draco's small nod of permission before checking both legs for scarring but there was nothing to indicate why his mobility was so bad. "Do you know why you can't walk very well?"

Draco nodded. "Caged mostly. Small…no room to stand."

Harry summoned the warm throw that was on his bed and used it to wrap around Draco. It was the softest blanket that Harry had ever felt and he hoped it would bring the abused man some comfort. "You were kept caged a lot? A very small cage?"

"Yes." Draco was barely responding, but for the moment Harry was okay with it. He picked Draco up in his arms and carried him out of the bathroom and down the hall to his own bedroom. He put him on the bed and then sat down beside him, being careful to not jar him.

"That could explain it then." He cast a few diagnostic spells over Draco and wasn't surprised to find that he was dehydrated and malnourished. Several bones had been fractured and had healed badly and the evidence of his sexual abuse was hard to miss. Harry was frustrated with his lack of medicines and equipment and knew he was going to have to ask for help.

"Draco, I want you to get some sleep. I have to make a couple of calls because there are things I need to help you get better and I don't have them here." He stroked Draco's hair, hoping to keep him calm.

"No. Don't tell. Just Harry..." Draco didn't have enough energy to really argue but Harry hated to see him upset. Still, he did need help.

"No one will come in here, Dray. I'll talk to them by floo and have them bring me what I need. I won't allow them close to you, I promise. Just me. Please let me help you?" He kept petting Draco, smiling as the hair fell softly between his fingers.

"Okay. Harry…feel safe." Draco pushed against Harry's hand, reminding him of a stray cat he once found living outside of the Dursley's garden. It was starving and limping but so desperate for affection he let Harry pet him for hours.

"You're safe here. I'll protect you from now on." One of the reasons Harry wanted to be a nurse was because he wanted to help people but the rush of protectiveness he felt for Draco left him feeling light-headed. No one would ever hurt him again if Harry had anything to say about it.

He stayed with Draco until he was asleep and then got up and walked out of his room and down the hall to a small sitting room that was there. "Kreacher."

The little house elf popped into view. He and Harry had worked out some of their problems and they managed to get along most of the time. "Yes Harry Potter. How can Kreacher be of service?"

Harry flopped back onto the couch. He was exhausted. "I have a friend staying with me right now. Draco Malfoy. I'd appreciate it if you could stay away from him for a while. He's been badly hurt and is scared of everything. He'll be in my room for now."

"Of course, sir. Kreacher will be most careful with the honored guest from the House of Black. Is there anything I can help with?"

Harry scrubbed his hands over his face before answering. "Yeah, can you make some soup or something that would be easy for him to eat? I don't think he's had much and I don't want to overwhelm his stomach and make him sick."

"Of course Kreacher can. I will do it right away." He almost looked pleased with the request.

"Thanks Kreacher. And I'm sorry about the mess I left in the bathroom. I just kind of had my hands full."

"Do not worry, sir. I have no problem fulfilling my duties. And of course, I am most pleased to help Master Draco in any way that I can." With that he disappeared and Harry knew that it wouldn't be long before he would be able to smell something delicious coming from the kitchen.

Heaving himself off the couch, he walked to the fireplace and called the only person he trusted with Draco's secrets. "Hello Madam Pomfrey. How are things at Hogwarts? First years still falling for the same old tricks?"

Madam Pomfrey's smiling face appeared in the fire. "Hello Harry. I've told you and told you, it's Poppy to you now. And yes, I was just ungluing two students that had been playing around with a new trick they picked up at Weasley's. I'm telling you, that place keeps me in patients, that for sure."

Harry grinned. "Well, at least George and Angelina are doing well for themselves."

Poppy chuckled. "Yes, but at my expense." She looked at him shrewdly. "What's going on, Harry?"

Harry's grin faded. "I need your help Poppy. I have a patient here that I'm looking after and I'm afraid that he needs help beyond my skill level."

The woman looked confused. "Then why not take him to St. Mungo's? Surely that's the best place for him."

Harry shook his head. "I can't. He's been badly abused for the better part of three years and he says it was at a hospital that it happened."

Poppy mouth dropped, obviously affronted. "Not one of ours, surely?"

"No, a muggle hospital I think. None of his injuries are magical that I can tell, but he's pretty bad off." He looked at her hopefully.

"I don't know Harry. Why not just give him a sleep potion and take him?"

"Because I promised him I wouldn't and I need him to trust me." He looked down at his fingers before continuing. "It's Draco, Poppy."

He knew that she would remember how horrified he was that day in the bathroom when he almost killed Draco. He'd haunted the halls around the infirmary for days until the other boy had been released after he'd healed.

"Oh love." She looked at him again, trying to find something and she must have found it. "Alright then, what do you need?"

Harry sighed in relief. "He needs some nourishing potions and some healing salves. He's been abused and molested and so I need to make sure he hasn't any muggle diseases. I know we're mostly resistant to them, but its better safe than sorry."

Poppy nodded. "I'll bring them right away and do a complete diagnostic."

"I appreciate it if you would come soon, but you'll have to tell me how to do the tests. He's absolutely terrified and I promised him no one but me would come near him for now." He hoped he didn't sound rude, but he was determined to keep his promise.

To his surprise, Poppy accepted his conditions. "No worries, love, I'm sure you can do everything. Anything else you need me to bring?"

"Is there something I can use to relax and stretch out his leg muscles? He was kept in a cage for a long time and his legs are barely able to carry him." He watched as her mouth tightened in anger.

"What kind of animal would do that to a person Harry? Why was he even in the muggle world? I thought he was at the Manor with his mother until she passed away?"

"I don't know, Poppy. Apparently he was banished to the Muggle world by the Ministry before Kingsley took over. As for the rest, I haven't gotten the full story yet." They had both seen the kind of horrific treatment the old ministry was capable of.

Poppy paled but shook herself out of it. "Right, I'll gather what you need and bring it quickly. I'll see you soon."

Harry smiled at her. "Thanks you old sweetheart you."

She winked at him and disappeared from the fire.

He made one more floo call to St. Mungo's and took a leave of absence. They were disappointed but didn't press him too much about his reasons and he was relieved.

After that he sat and wrote a letter to Hermione and the Weasley's explaining that he was closing the wards around Grimmauld place so that no one would pop in unannounced. He promised to call in the next couple of days to explain everything, making sure to give them the code phrase they'd worked out so that they would know he wasn't in any danger. He sent it off with his owl and then walked back to the bedroom to check on Draco.


	3. Chapter 3

Draco was still asleep but it didn't look very peaceful. He'd been thrashing around on the bed and had dislodged the blanket Harry had wrapped around him. He was shivering and Harry wasn't sure if it was from fear or cold.

Harry walked to the fireplace that sat against one wall of the room and quickly lit a fire before walking to the bed and kneeling beside it. He reached up to pulled the blanket back over the sleeping man and was startled when Draco cried out in terror before freezing in place.

"Nononono…please…don't." He wasn't screaming, just pleading over and over.

"Shhh, Draco. It's just me, Harry." He didn't touch Draco, just knelt motionlessly beside the bed as he talked to him. "It's okay. You're safe now." He kept his voice quiet and calm, talking to him like the wounded creature he was. "No one will hurt you here, I'll protect you."

"H…Harry?" Draco finally opened his eyes and seemed to focus on Harry.

"Yes, it's me. You're okay." Harry put his hand on the bed, not touching, just letting it rest there and leaving the rest up to Draco.

Draco lay there for a moment, panting quietly and letting his eyes slip shut again. Harry thought he'd fallen back asleep and started to get up, but was stilled by Draco touching his hand. "Harry."

Harry smiled and rested his head on the mattress so that he and Draco were at eye level. "Hi."

The other man smiled shyly back at him and barely flinched as Harry reached over to finish pulling the blanket up. "Thank you."

"Would you like something to drink? Your throat sounds a little sore." He wanted to start getting Draco rehydrated as quickly as possible.

Draco nodded and Harry sat up a little. "Kreacher, can we have tea in my room please?" He spoke seemingly to thin air, but a tray materialized on the nightstand almost immediately. There was a note on it and Harry picked it up and read it.

'Soup is cooking, won't take long. Is Master Draco allergic to anything?'

Harry looked at Draco. "Kreacher would like to know if you're allergic to anything. He's making soup for us because I'm starving."

Draco looked startled but shook his head.

"He isn't Kreacher."

Draco looked at him curiously and Harry chuckled. "The old fellow found a pair of extendable ears that the twins had left behind and he likes to use them sometimes. I asked him to give you some space and not just pop in and out right away."

"Oh." Draco's cheeks turned a little red. "Sorry. Too much trouble."

Harry looked at him sternly. "You certainly are not. In fact Kreacher's very happy to be serving 'The Noble House of Black' once more. You've made his whole year being here."

Shifting up to sit on the side of the bed, Harry prepared two cups of tea before turning to Draco. "I'm going to put a little honey in yours because I think it will help soothe your throat, but no milk yet. It might upset your stomach."

Draco nodded and Harry finished with the tea and then turned back. "I'm going to place a cushioning charm under you so you can sit without too much discomfort, okay?"

"Yes." His big gray eyes were locked on Harry as he pulled his wand and did the charm.

"Let's get you sitting now." Harry waited for Draco to nod before helping him sit back against a pile of pillows against the headboard. He looked at him and saw him still shivering. "Hold on, I'm going to grab you a jumper."

Harry walked over and pulled open his closet. He grabbed a hoodie that zipped in the front and went back to Draco. "Can I put this on you? I hate seeing you so cold."

Draco's eyes widened. "Yours?"

Harry smiled. "Yes mine. Warmest one I have."

"Yes please." Draco leaned ahead so Harry could get the fabric around him and then leaned back so he could zip it up. Harry pulled the hood up to keep the draft off Draco's neck and watched as the other man snuggled back into the softness.

"Smells like you. It's good." The please smile on Draco's face was something Harry would love to see more of.

"Good." Harry reached over and grabbed Draco's tea and handed it to him. Draco's hands shook a little but he didn't drop it. "Sip it slowly, alright? Don't overdo it."

Draco nodded and took a small sip. He closed his eyes and sighed before taking another. "Missed this. Tastes good." His voice was so soft and low and Harry wasn't sure he was ever going to get used to hearing it that way.

"I'm glad you like it." Harry heard the small chime that told him someone had come through the floo into the sitting room. "There's Poppy."

"No…Harry no. Please." Draco started shaking so hard that he almost spilled his tea and Harry hastened to reassure him.

"She's not coming in here, I promise. She's just bringing me some things I need to heal you and she's going to show me how to do some tests. No one will come near you but me." He pet down Draco's arm and waited until he'd relaxed before standing up. "I'll be right back, okay?"

Draco nodded and clutched his cup to his chest. "'Kay. "

Harry smiled at him reassuringly and headed for the sitting room. Poppy Pomfrey was waiting for him there, accepting a cup of tea from Kreacher. He walked up and gave her a hug. "Thank you so much, Poppy. I need all the help I can get."

She patted his shoulder. "Don't you worry, Harry. We'll have Mr. Malfoy right as rain in no time." She put down her cup before lifting the bag she'd brought with her and setting it on the coffee table. "First things first. I need you to go and run a complete set of diagnostics on him."

Pulling a book out of her bag, she leafed through it until she found what she wanted. "This is the spell. It's for monitoring patients in the hospital. You can start it in there and I can see it here. Have you gotten him to drink anything?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah, he's having tea at the moment."

"Good." She reached into the bag again and passed him a small vial. "This is a nourishing potion. It will also help him retain the water he's needs to get rehydrated without making his stomach off. Just add it to his tea. It's a little sweet but otherwise has no flavor."

Harry took the vial and walked back to the bedroom. "I'm going to put this in your tea, Draco. It will help you regain the nutrients your body needs as well as the water." He poured it into the cup and Draco stared at it mistrustfully.

"Here." He took the cup and took a drink. "See? It won't hurt you."

Draco took the cup back and looked at him for a few more moments before taking a small sip. He looked thoughtful for a moment and then shrugged. "Now what?"

Harry showed him the book. "I'm going to start this diagnostic spell and Madam Pomfrey will be able to see it out there as well." Draco looked stricken and Harry knew that he'd not realized who Poppy was when he mentioned her earlier. "I'm sorry that I had to tell her, Draco, but I'm just a nurse. There are things I don't know and I don't want to do anything that might hurt you further."

"Harry won't hurt me." It wasn't quite a statement, but it wasn't a question either.

"No, not if I can help it." He waited for Draco to decide.

"Yes. Okay." He still didn't look thrilled, but at least he wasn't going to fight it.

Harry went over the spell once more before finally feeling confident enough to perform it. He'd seen it done often enough at the hospital but it was never his job to do it. It didn't take long until everything Poppy needed to know was displayed over Draco's head.

"I'm going to make sure she's seeing this properly and then I'll be back. Make sure you drink your tea, okay?" Harry could see that some of the numbers concerning Draco's health were even worse than he feared and he wanted to hear what the healer had to say about them.

"Okay, Harry." Draco obediently took another sip of tea and Harry was satisfied enough to leave the room for a few moments.

When he re-joined Poppy in the sitting room he could see that she was also looking at the diagnostics with concern.

"I don't know where he's been, Harry, but he is in terrible shape. He's a good deal under weight and his diet has been terribly neglected." She looked so cross that Harry almost smiled at her ire. "He's not got any diseases, though. There are some poorly healed fractures that we can deal with and I have a potion that will heal most of the cuts and bruises."

She pulled potion after potion out of her bag as she spoke and it gave Harry a great deal of relief to know she was taking it so seriously.

"I swear to you Harry, if wizards had done this I'd be setting the Aurors on them in a second. There's no magical signature to any of his wounds though and his own magic is dangerously faded. It's going to take a long time to get it back up to normal levels and I'd prefer that he didn't try any magic at all until his body is healed." She stopped and looked up.

"Are you sure you're up for this young man? He's going to need a lot of help. My potions can heal most of his physical injures and time will take care of the rest." She walked over to Harry and put her hand on his arm. "But his psychological injuries are so much worse, lad. It's going to take a lot of work and it will be hell on both of you."

Harry hugged her and pulled back. "Thanks Poppy, but I'm sure. I'm going to talk to Kingsley and hopefully once I can get some more information out of Draco, he can talk to the Muggle authorities and get the animals that did this to him." Harry looked at the collection of items she'd put on the table. "I want to do this. I need to. I feel like he's been let down a by a lot of people in his life and I don't want to be one of them."

Poppy patted his arm and then picked up her bag. "Alright then. I'd like you to keep this spell going for a few days. It'll work fine between here and Hogwarts and I want to keep an eye on his progress. If you need anything else, just call."

Harry hugged her against and then gently urged her toward the fireplace. "Thanks, I will."

He watched as she nodded and then grabbed a handful of floo powder from the box on the mantle. Tossing it in, she yelled "Hogwarts" before stepping in and disappearing.

Once she was gone, he closed the floo and reset his wards. Satisfied he wouldn't have any unexpected visitors, he returned to Draco with a handful of potions.

"So, Poppy's left these for you and I'd like to get them started right away." Harry walked over to the bed and set the vials on the night table before sitting on the side of the bed. "I'm going to give you a dreamless sleep potion with the others. The healing potions are effective, but can be uncomfortable and I don't want you hurting anymore."

Draco shook his head before whispering. "No sleep Harry. Bad dreams."

Harry reached up and stroked along Draco's cheek. "You won't dream, Dray, just sleep and rest and heal. When you wake up, you won't hurt so much and then maybe we can figure out some other stuff."

Draco sighed, looking crestfallen. "I have to go? Harry wants me to go?"

Harry smiled at him. "No, I don't want you to go. I just want to take care of you right now and spend some time getting to know you…this you that you are now."

"Oh." Draco dropped his eyes to look at his cup. "Still scared. Sorry."

"Oh Dray." Harry sighed. "You have nothing to be sorry for. Of course you're still scared. You have every right to be." He smiled when Draco let his head rest against his hand for a moment. "But you're safe here and I'm going to help you get better. And maybe we could be friends?"

Draco smiled up at him shyly. "Friends? With Harry?"

Harry nodded.

"Yes. I'd like that."

He looked like a child all bundled up in the cozy blanket and Harry's hoodie and it made him feel even more fiercely protective. "Right then. Let's get these potions into you then. Do you need to use the loo first?"

Draco blushed and nodded. Harry looked around and then remembered that Poppy had left a portable urinal for him as well. "Hold on, I'll be right back."

He rushed out to the sitting room and grabbed what he needed before rushing back to Draco. "I'd rather not move you right now. Can you use this?"

Draco nodded and reached out to grab it. "I'm just going to step out here to give you some privacy."

He passed the urinal to him and then went into the hall leaving the door open so he could hear Draco call him when he was done.

"Okay Harry." Draco's soft voice beckoned him back into the bedroom.

He took the urinal to the bathroom and washed his hands and then went back. "I'll give you the healing ones first and then the dreamless sleep."

He passed Draco the first vial and smiled approvingly as he swallowed it down without stopping and then did the same with the other two. Once those were gone, he passed him the dreamless sleep potion and waited for him to finish that as well before banishing all the empty vials to the kitchen.

"Come on, let's get you laying down before you pass out." He carefully helped Draco rearrange himself so that he was lying on his side and snuggled into the blankets. "Comfortable?"

Draco nodded and yawned sleepily. "Harry stay?"

Harry sat on the edge of the bed and took Draco's hand. "I'll stay until you're asleep and I'll be keeping an eye on you the whole time. You won't be alone."

Draco's lashes fluttered but Harry could see he was fighting the dreamless sleep. "Promise?" His voice was soft and achingly sweet and at that moment, Harry would have promised him anything.

"Yes, Dray, I promise." Draco's fingers tightened around his for a moment in acknowledgement and then fell slack as he finally let himself drift off to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Once he was sure that Draco was asleep, Harry got up from the bed and walked over to grab some boxers and a t-shirt from his dresser before heading to the bathroom. He wasn't surprised to find it sparkling clean and made a mental note to thank Kreacher.

He turned the shower on and adjusted the water temperature to hot before stripping out of his clothes and tossing them in the hamper. He didn't know what Kreacher had done with the things Draco had been wearing but he hoped the house elf had burned the clothing and tossed the other stuff into the trash.

He sighed with relief as he stepped under the hot water and revelled in the feeling of the warmth relaxing his muscles. He deliberately kept his mind blank, using the same technique he used after a horrible day at the hospital. He let himself drift as he washed his hair and soaped himself off.

He felt his cock starting to respond to the slippery touches and warmth. The shower was his favorite place to have a wank and as he'd been too busy for anything resembling a relationship in the last few years, it had become almost a habit.

But when Draco's condition and the things that must have happened to him came crashing through Harry's carefully built walls, it all came to a halt. His erection faded quickly as he realized what sex had probably meant for the other man while he was caged up like an animal.

After rinsing off quickly, he stepped out of the shower and dried himself off before throwing on his clothes.

He looked around as he wanted to make sure he tidied up after himself as he didn't want to add to Kreacher's burden. Some days Hermione's lectures about house elf freedom being nothing more than indentured slavery still rung in his ears.

She still didn't have an idea about how to deal with the fact that most of the elves had no desire to be freed and considered her attempts to give them a better life no better than terrorism.

After checking on Draco and finding him still peacefully asleep, he wandered down to the kitchen in search of something to eat. It had been a long day and when he thought back over it, he realized that he hadn't eaten anything since 11 that morning and now it was almost 9. No wonder he was starving.

Kreacher was in the kitchen stirring a large pot of soup and the smell was making Harry's mouth water. "I don't know what kind of soup that is, but it smells delicious."

Kreacher smiled, something he'd been doing more often of late. "It's chicken vegetable. Kreacher asked Mrs. Weasley for her recipe. She is a mother and knows how to care for people."

Harry grinned. "You're absolutely right. Thank you for thinking of it." Harry sat wearily at the table, intending to just rest before getting his supper, but Kreacher was there with a bowl of soup, along with bread and butter.

"Eat up, Harry Potter. Mr. Draco is needing a lot of care from you I think." Harry wasn't sure when Kreacher got so good at reading humans, but he was getting better at it all the time.

Yeah, I will, Kreacher. Thanks." He reached for the bread and slathered butter on a slice before dunking it in his soup and taking a careful bite. He moaned as the flavors burst across his tongue. "Kreacher, this soup is wonderful! Mrs. Weasley couldn't have done better herself!"

Harry watched in amazement as Kreacher blushed right down to the tips of his pointed ears.

"Kreacher thanks you Harry Potter." The elf barely got the words out before he disappeared from the kitchen with a pop.

Once Harry was done eating, he prepared a tray for Draco and put it under a warming charm before carrying it upstairs and into his room.

He set the tray on the dresser and looked at Draco, happy to see that he was still sleeping peacefully.

Harry looked around the room, wondering if he should sleep there or not. Draco had made him promise that he wouldn't leave him alone so Harry transfigured a chair into a lounger and grabbed a blanket and a couple of pillows from the hall closet. After checking on the fire, he flopped back on the small bed and curled up, feeling warm and cozy.

Letting his eyes drift closed, he willed himself to fall asleep quickly because he knew the dreamless sleep wouldn't last forever and the next day was bound to be difficult.

As he considered how his day had turned out, he realized that he was happy he'd found Draco. He'd been drifting along in his life for a long time, working and studying and avoiding anything that might be considered a personal relationship besides Hermione and the Weasley's.

Now it felt like he had a purpose…and a chance to mend something that had been broken when he was too young to know better. Maybe helping Draco reclaim his life would help Harry find something in his to hold on to.

The thought made him smile as he fell asleep.

Harry woke abruptly, unsure of what had disturbed him and he sat up and looked around for something out of place, but couldn't see anything.

Grabbing his wand he cast a Lumos charm and looked to where Draco was supposed to be sleeping but couldn't see him. Pushing the blanket off, he stood up and walked quietly over to the bed, but Draco was nowhere to be seen.

Looking around frantically, he finally spotted him sleeping on the floor at the foot of Harry's transfigured bed. He'd obviously awakened long enough to move as close to Harry as he dared before passing out again.

"Oh Dray. What are you doing?" The poor man had left the blankets on the bed, probably too out of it to drag one with him. He lay on the wooded floor, shivering with cold and the sight of it was heartbreaking.

Harry walked over and cast a lightening charm that was hardly needed and lifted Draco into his arms. He whimpered quietly and then curled against the warmth of Harry's chest. "Come on then, let's get you back to bed."

Walking over to where Draco's nest of blankets and pillows were, Harry laid him down carefully before tucking him back in. When he tried to move away, however, he discovered that Draco wasn't quite as asleep as he thought he was.

Long, fragile fingers wrapped around Harry's wrist. 'Stay…Harry."

It would have taken a lot of determination to fight off the effects of the dreamless sleep potion so Harry knew that it was important to Draco that he stay with him. "Okay. If you're sure you won't be too scared."

Draco shook his head. "No, not scared of Harry. Only thing I'm not scared of."

Harry felt the warmth that had been warring with the horror in his chest since he'd found Draco start to unfurl a little further. He walked around to the other side of the bed and pulled back the covers before climbing in beside Draco, being extra cautious not to jostle him too much.

Lying on his side, he watched as the tension in Draco's back faded away as he finally lost the battle and was pulled back into sleep. Harry slipped off into dreamland soon after.

When he awoke the next time, a quick glance at the clock showed that they'd been sleeping for about five hours. Looking over at Draco he could see that he was breathing easier, hopefully indicating that the pain he'd been in was fading as his wounds healed.

He was snuggled down into the blankets and Harry's sweater and he looked for all the world like a child wearing his father's clothes. Draco had always been on the lean side, but the body Harry had bathed had been emaciated to the point where every bone seemed to stick out at odd angles. He'd apparently been fed enough to be kept alive and that was about it.

In sleep, Draco's face looked deceptively peaceful and you could almost believe that he'd never been tortured or abused. But once he started to stir, a frown creased his brow and his hands clasped together, long fingers running over the bruised flesh of his wrist and Harry realized that he was looking for the shackles.

"Its okay, Dray. They're still gone. I think Kreacher banished them to hell." He spoke softly, not wanting to startle the other man.

Draco froze and then slowly relaxed as he recognized Harry's voice. His eyes finally fluttered open and a shy smile curved his lips as he looked at Harry. "Hi."

Harry smiled at him. "Hi. How about we get you something to eat?"

Draco closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths before opening them again and nodding. "Okay."

"Are you hungry?" He was curious to know if Draco would even tell him one way or the other.

Draco shrugged. "A little?"

Harry chuckled. "Good enough." He slipped out from under the covers and stood up. When he looked at the dresser, the tray was gone and a note sat in its place.

_Harry Potter. When you are ready for food, call down to Kreacher and I will send up another tray._

Harry looked at Draco. "I don't know what's gotten into Kreacher. You must be royalty or something to him." He walked over to the door and called out. "Kreacher, we're ready for the tray now. I can come down an…"

He was cut off by the sound of the tray popping into existence on the dresser in the exact spot it was left, only this time it had two bowls of soup, some delicious looking bread and some biscuits that Harry suspected were homemade.

"Well, would you look at that." He grabbed the tray and turned to face Draco, dismayed to see him sitting against the pillows and looking down at his hands with tears in his eyes. "Dray? What's the matter?"

He felt stupid asking that question. Obviously a lot of things were sad and scary for the poor man, but he needed to know what was happening right at the moment to upset him.

"Kreacher is foolish. Draco is not royalty. Draco is nothing. Not anymore. Not a son, not a friend…not a man. Nothing." The self-loathing in his voice was tearing at Harry's heart.

Walking over to the bed, he set the tray down carefully on the empty side before walking around to sit on the edge by Draco. "That's not true. You will always be your parent's son. Whether they're here or not, as long as you remember them, that's what makes you their child."

Taking Draco's hand into his, he held it gently and stroked one finger down the back of it. "And as for friends, well, I've already told you I'd like to be yours if you want me."

"Yes. Harry's friend. That's good. It's a start." Draco couldn't seem to take his eyes off Harry's hand touching his and Harry started to pull away, thinking it was bothering him, but Draco's fingers tightened just enough to let Harry know that he didn't want it to stop.

"As for being a man, well, I'm not sure what makes one in your eyes." Harry stopped and looked at Draco's face before continuing. "But to me, a man who knows when something he's doing is wrong and stops. Like that night on the astronomy tower."

Draco's head came up and he started shying away. "Harry was there? Saw what I did?"

Harry shook his head. "I saw what you wouldn't do. I know now why you tried. I know how you tried to save your family from a madman whose trap they were in."

"Snape saved me." Pain crossed his gray eyes once again. "Was my godfather."

Harry nodded. "He saved me too and plenty more. He was an arrogant ass and a poor excuse for a human being, but he loved my mother and I'm betting he loved you as well."

"Yes. You're right." Harry watched as Draco took a deep breath and tried to get control of himself.

"You're a man Draco. You've been battered and abused but you're still here. You've fought to live when anyone else would have curled up and died. That's all that's important." He lifted his hand and carefully brushed the bangs off Draco's face so he could see his expression.

Draco looked at him, those gray eyes that Harry had always felt were so cool now felt blazing hot on his skin.

"Thank you Harry. You're not…" He stumbled over his words before recovering. "You're not the person I thought you were."

Harry smiled. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

Draco ducked his head shyly. "Good Harry. Very good."

"Good to know." Harry patted his hand and got up to walk around and grab the tray. "Think you can eat this now?"

Draco nodded so Harry walked over and set the tray in Draco's lap. "Just eat as much as you can, okay? I don't want you making yourself sick."

Pulling a chair over, he sat beside the bed and picked up his own bowl. He'd already eaten but the soup was too damned good and he couldn't wait for more. When he looked up at Draco, however, he was trying hard to get the spoon to his mouth, but his hand was shaking badly and the soup kept spilling back into the bowl.

He waited to see what Draco would do, but as soon as he noticed that Harry was watching, he set the spoon down. "Not hungry."

Harry could see the tears threatening to spill over again and he hurried to intervene. Setting his own bowl back on the tray, he picked up Draco's spoon and dipped it into the bowl. "You know what the biggest lesson I've learned is Dray?"

Draco shook his head.

"The biggest lesson I've learned is that if someone wants to help you, then there are times that you should let them." He reached up with his free hand to wipe the tears off Draco's cheek. "When you're fighting a dark lord, that's one of those times. And so is this. When you're weakened from hunger and all the abuse you've suffered, this is one of those times that you should let someone who really wants to, help you. Will you let me help you Dray?"

Draco's hands were clenched into fists but after a moment, he nodded his head. "Yes please." His soft voice was a little smoother than before and Harry idly noted that the collar marks around his throat were already starting to look better.

"Okay. Good." Harry lifted the spoon and Draco opened his mouth to take it. After the first bite, his eyes widened and he smiled.

"This is good. I like this!" His happiness was almost childlike and Harry could feel his heart cracking open a little more.

"It is, isn't it? Kreacher went to Ron's mom for the recipe. The woman is a goddess in the kitchen." He fed Draco another spoonful and then put the spoon down to take bite of his own. He could have waited but he didn't want Draco going too fast and upsetting his stomach.

He went back and forth, feeding himself and Draco and keeping up the chatter about unimportant things to keep Draco distracted from the situation. He didn't say much, but he was avidly paying attention and even laughed a little at the stories Harry told about the Weasley's and their crazy antics.

By the time they were done, Draco had finished most of his soup, although he'd refused to try any of the bread, saying it was too much. Harry had managed to polish of another bowl of soup and both slices of bread. He was just putting the dishes on the tray when he noticed Draco eyeing the cookies.

"Would you like to try one?" He waited while Draco had his inner debate before he finally lifted his hand and picked one up. His hand still shook, but not as badly and he took a small bite.

He chewed for a moment with his eyes closed before opening them and looking at Harry. "Delicious." He took another bite and smiled. "Please tell Kreacher…thank you."

Harry's throat felt tight at the effort it took for Draco to properly get out that simple sentence, but he swallowed down the rage he felt building and found a smile for Draco. "I will."

Draco finished the cookie but declined any more. He was yawning again and Harry knew it wouldn't be long before he was down for the count again. "It's okay to go back to sleep Draco. You're body needs lots of rest to heal."

Draco nodded, but he didn't relax. His gaze kept jumping to the door to the bathroom and it wasn't long before Harry figured it out.

"Do you want me to bring you the urinal?"

Draco shook his head. "Help me walk? Please?"

Harry smiled. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. I can do it…with help."

Harry knew that the pride he felt at those words was a little out of proportion, but he didn't care. "Yeah, I can do that."

Getting up from the chair, he moved the tray to the dresser and then watched as Draco pushed the blankets back. The hoodie he was still wearing had been big on Harry and on Draco's wasted frame it covered him almost to his knees.

He helped him get turned and then put his arm around Draco's waist and helped him try to stand, but the moment he put pressure on his legs, he cried out and would have collapsed if Harry hadn't had a good hold of him.

Harry quickly muttered the lightening charm against and bent to slide on arm under Draco's knees. "I know you wanted to walk, but your body isn't recovered enough for that yet. A few more hours of healing and a couple more potions and you should be able to start working on your legs, okay?"

Draco curled against Harry's chest and nodded. He didn't protest when he was carried into the bathroom and sat on the toilet. "I'm going to wait out here to give you some privacy. Call me when you're finished and I'll come and get you."

He waited until he was sure Draco was steady and then backed out of the room. After a few minutes he became concerned and was about to go in when Draco quietly called his name.

Opening the door he was surprised to see Draco leaning against the counter, sweating and shaking but smiling. "See Harry? I did it."

The front of the hoodie had been splashed with water while Draco had washed his hands and held himself up at the same time and he was on the verge of collapse, but Harry just smiled and nodded. "Yes, you did. I'm proud of you. Now, can I take you back to bed you stubborn git?"

He made sure to smile as he said the words and Draco's happy nod let him know that Draco got the fact that he was teasing. He swung him back into his arms and carried him back to the bed. Once he was settled, Harry tried to unzip the wet hoodie but Draco grabbed his hand and tried to stop him.

"No. Please, I like it." His big gray eyes were impossible to resist so Harry let go and walked over to the closet to grab another hoodie.

"Here, I've another and it's dry. Will you let me trade for that one?" He watched the emotions play out over Draco's face. The only other person he'd ever seen whose emotions were to open in his expression was Teddy Lupin and he was just a child.

"Okay." He pulled the blankets up until his lap was covered and then unzipped the hoodie and slowly shrugged it off his shoulders. The bruises and scratches on his torso were looking much better as Harry gave them a quick look before helping Draco into the dry jacket. He zipped it up and smiled as Draco flipped up the hood and snuggled back into it before pulling up the covers and turning onto his side facing the empty side of the bed.

"Comfy?" Harry fussed with the blankets a little, making sure Draco would be warm enough.

"Yes, very comfy." He was trying harder so speak properly and it made Harry happy to see him putting in the extra effort. "Tired."

Harry gently patted his shoulder and started to move away. "I know. It's all the healing you're body's doing. Get some rest."

"Stay?"

He started to shake his head, but couldn't find it in him to deny the simple request. "Okay, until you're asleep anyway."

Draco smiled sleepily at him as he rounded the bed and lay down on the other side. "Thank you."

Harry reached out and tenderly brushed the bangs back out of Draco's eyes. "You're welcome Dray."

Draco's eyes slipped shut almost immediately and while Harry hadn't thought that he was still tired, he found the combination of Draco's quiet breathing and their shared warmth too much to resist and he slipped into a light doze before long.

And woke to the sound of screaming a couple hours later.


End file.
